News

Fears for most vulnerable as Camborne drop in centre closes

A lack of funding has been blamed for the closure of a Camborne drop in centre helping some of the most vulnerable people in Cornwall.

Service delivered by the Drop in and Share Centre will stop at the end of March after it fell of a 'financial cliff' .

The closure of the centre, which helped thousands people a year will "affect a lot of people in a massive way", according to its manager Mark Cooper.

The centre, which helps rehabilitate people back into the community, was funding through grants from charitable foundations, however these have dried up.

Chair of the trustees, the Reverend Mike Firbank from Camborne Parish Church, said: "It with much sadness that the Trustees of DISC, the Drop In & Share Centre in Camborne, have decided to close the project.

"We have served many 1,000′s of clients over six years – some of whom were the most vulnerable in our society and whom nobody else wanted to help. We have seen many make amazing choices and seen several secure full time employment.

"My personal thanks to so many who have helped us build and maintain DISC, especially the staff and volunteers. We also have many funders, over the last six years, to thank. My personal thanks also to Camborne Church and its Church Council for hosting DISC for six years amongst thefts, break-ins and an arson attack on the kitchen.

"It was clear from around Christmas time that there was no more funding available. We sought many alternatives, but due to extensive funding cuts across the statutory sector (and therefore the charitable sector as well) there were no more avenues available to fund this particular type of community work. We looked at running a volunteer based service but took the decision that this involved too much risk to both the volunteer and the client.

"The Trustees, therefore, with much sadness have made a final decision. At the end of March we will be inviting a number of people to a final celebration and then DISC will close."